A Midnight Adventure
by smile1
Summary: Elena/Elijah "We do need to get a move on, if we want to sneak away." He placed one hand on her hip while the other moved down the side of her dress. He had her up in his arms before she could reconsider her request. He was seizing the moment, as was she.


**Disclaimer: I don't own the book or television series _The Vampire Diaries. _Nor do I own the characters. All I own is my imagination and the laptop on which I wrote this.**

**A/N: **This is my second Elena/Elijah story. This idea came to me a few weeks ago and I have been working on this story ever since. It turned out longer than my usual one-parters and while I thought about splitting it up into separate chapters, I decided not to. This story was written as a whole and it shall be posted as one. I was pleased with how I managed to take my idea and turn it into something so elaborate. It also closely resembles what I had in mind. Some details may have been altered to fit my story, but I think it works. :)

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><p><strong>A Midnight Adventure<strong>

_"Angel, won't you stay with me? I come to life when I'm with you."_

It was as if time had been frozen, the seconds unmoving and a moment was created in which Elena could tell Elijah of his mother's intentions. She filtered out the toast Esther was giving and the soft murmurs of the crowd surrounding her. She held her champagne glass up and kept a smile on her face, the way everyone else was doing, while her eyes gravitated towards Elijah's. They had been circling each other all throughout the night and she had felt instant guilt as she lied to him.

Elena strung the words together quickly as they left her lips in a barely there whisper. It took minimal effort, a slight turn of her head and the exchange of a beseeching look on her part, though she felt the pull at her heart nonetheless as she watched the lines of his face harden as he feigned taking a swig of the bubbly.

She felt momentarily sick. She had been so close to making yet another immoral choice and calling it redeemable. In the struggle between good and wrong, she had always favored the first one. Revenge, fear, or selfishness shouldn't change that. She wasn't going to go along with any plan that left her feeling like this. She twirled the drink in her glass, scanning the room for either of the Salvatore brothers, but finding neither. Lately the both of them had become a gray area. _Good and wrong were both there but had become indistinguishable from one another._

Elena placed the glass on a silver platter as one passed her. Then she was off, her heels, a deep shade of pink click-clacking down the hall. She needed to get out and that was where she went. She walked through a set of open doors onto a patio. After descending a few steps, she found herself standing at the edge of a garden that appeared endless in the darkness. The red roses that grew up the building behind her clashed with the intricate deep pink flower pattern that ran down the side of her white dress, strapless and form-fitting all the way down to her ankles. With her hair swept to the side on one side she looked absolutely appetizing to Kol as he stepped from the shadows, hands in his pockets as he stood on the patio looking down at her. "Impressive, isn't it?"

He heard the irregularity in her breathing, not having expected anyone, let alone anyone who was bold enough to disturb her solitude. She shifted her weight and as she turned to look at him, he made sure to appear right in front of her. "Exquisite even, with the roses," Kol went on, one hand out of his pocket as his fingers brushed against the fabric of her dress.

His eyes raked across her body unabashedly. She took a tentative step back and he held out his hand. "I don't think I've had the pleasure of meeting you yet. I'm Kol."

Elena placed her hand in his, drawn in by his charm, a trait he had developed as a human but had mastered to his advantage as a vampire. "I'm-"

"Elena," he said for her, his eyes touching mischievously on hers. It reminded her of those movies in which the girl fell for the troubled but handsome stranger, but whatever she wanted to change and fix was so terribly broken that destruction was the only outcome. Something about his actions felt too calculated and cunning and she made a feeble attempt at removing herself from his hold. Kol, however, didn't give an inch. With a firm tug he had her body up against his, keeping her in place so easily by resting his other hand on the small of her back. "I've heard all about you," his lips moved against her ear. "One of my brothers has a really high opinion of you while Klaus and Rebekah... well, one wants you dead and the other needs you for your blood. Hybrid army and all that." He had let go of her hand and was fingering a curl at the back of her neck. "You want to know what I think of you?" he asked, his lips now on her neck. "Well, it doesn't really matter. All you need to know is that I don't want you dead." He shrugged, a deliberate smirk making him only more dangerously irresistible than he already was. "That's good news, right?" He unwound the curl from his finger and brushed his thumb over her bottom lip. Seduction dripped from every move, causing her not to think clearly. She was leaning into his touch, her body not putting up a fight even though she knew she was stupid not to. "No. What I want from you is trivial compared to, well compared to your life. I just want-"

"Kol," a voice cut him off.

Elena's eyes fluttered open and she was embarrassed that she hadn't even realized that she had closed her eyes. Kol hadn't had any trouble wrapping her around his finger completely.

Kol sighed and momentarily hung his head, eyes hooded as they remained fixed on Elena. "Ah, my brother... the eternal buzz kill." He took a step back, one hand back in his pocket as he turned sideways, unblocking Elena's view.

Her eyes found Elijah's _and one spell was replaced by another._

"It doesn't appear as if Elena is enjoying your company, are you?" he directed at her.

"At all," she responded quickly, relieved to find that she was no longer frozen in place. Her hand was on Kol's arm as she intended to push him off and disengage herself completely, but he held his ground, stubbornly. His fingers dug in deeper and she gasped, trying to avoid his eyes even though she could feel them on her, everywhere. "Kol..."

Elijah was by her side instantly, his hand grabbing hold of Kol's arm. "Let's not cause a scene and ruin mother's party. You know how irrationally Finn reacts whenever she's upset."

Kol threw his brother a look, eyes gleaming dangerously before he finally nodded. His release of Elena was sudden and harsh, but Elijah's hand on her elbow steadier her.

"Elena," Kol began with a nod in her direction, "I'm sure we'll see each other again, preferably without my brother's supervision." His smirk was devious and left an impression as he retreated back into the house.

"He's..." she tried finding the right words to describe Kol, but failed.

Elijah nodded, fully aware of his brother's tricks. "His charm is his gift, but a curse for your kind I'm afraid." He let her go, watching her eyes gaze at the spot where his brother had been standing. "Did he do-"

Elena shook her head, her hand briefly flying to her throat. "No, I don't think so. He was about to. Fortunately you followed me." She looked at him.

"Well, seems like you just spared me my life by..." he didn't say the words, not knowing how many ears would be listening in on this conversation. "It's only fair that I returned the favor."

"Yeah, thanks."

"No, thank you." He held her gaze before clearing his throat and pulling at his jacket, moving so he was directly in front of her. "We should talk."

"But not here," she finished Elijah's thought for him.

He revealed a faint smile and nodded. "We should get back to the party before we raise too many suspicions." He offered her his arm to take.

Instead of taking it she took a step back. "Wait, Elijah, I have to ask..."

"Yes?"

"Are you being kind and forgiving now only to punish me for initially lying to you later?" She chewed on her bottom lip. "I'm sorry, but with your whole family right there, I-"

"You don't need to explain."

"For what it's worth, I am being honest with you." She leaned In towards him as if sharing a secret. "The lies, blood, and violence... I don't know how much more of it I can take."

"You and I both." He offered her his arm again and this time she took it, leaning on him a little more heavily than was necessary, but she didn't think she could put up with all of that weight for much longer.

"Reason," Elijah said, temporarily distracting her. "That's the trait that got amplified after I was turned."

She looked up at him, thinking of what to say, but the moment was shattered when she caught a glance of Damon looking down at them, hands gripping the railing.

"I hate to break up this special bonding moment, but your trip to the Secret Garden with an Original was not part of tonight's itinerary. Also, what you just pulled in there with Stefan..." His eyes bore into hers. "You know that wasn't okay, right?"

Elena sighed, tired of defending her motives. She let go of Elijah's arm and raised a finger up at Damon. "Give me a minute."

Damon nodded. "Okay, but no more secrets." He pointed at his ears, signaling that he would be listening in.

"It appears you have been summoned," Elijah remarked with a hint of amusement.

Elena wrapped her arms around herself and looked out into the garden, weighing her options. Elijah's words rubbed her the wrong way, but in a way were true. Whenever Damon said jump she only asked how high and she only jumped because everything she did was to affect Stefan in some way, any way. Both brothers cared for her, but didn't always go about it the right way. The memories of Damon biting her against her will and Stefan almost driving her off the same bridge her parents died at flashed past painfully. They ended up hurt and her heart received another dent. She longingly looked out at the garden, wishing she could walk into the darkness and disappear. Her arms clasped her stomach tighter as if trying to contain her feelings. Elijah saw the sadness take over her body and he sympathized. Not able to take it any longer, he touched his fingers to her wrist. "Are you alright?"

Elena blinked a few times, tears a sign of weakness she didn't want to show. She brushed her index finger underneath her eye, relieved to find it dry. Still, she shook her head. "I need you to take me somewhere." She looked at him.

"Where would you like to go?"

She shrugged. "Anywhere. Someplace they won't find me. Just for a little while. I need room to breathe. If you don't mind?"

"It would be my pleasure."

"Good. Because I actually do enjoy your company." She smiled and he returned the gesture.

He moved closer to her, shielding her body with his. "We do need to get a move on, if we want to sneak away." He placed one hand on her hip while the other moved down the side of her dress. He had her up in his arms before she could reconsider her request. _He was seizing the_ _moment, the same way she was. _He looked down at the girl in his arms, taking pleasure in the twinkle in her eyes. For her this was something exciting, going against the rules set by the Salvatore brothers. She deserved happiness, even the short-term kind. He took off with her into the night.

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><p>He didn't stop until he reached the outskirts of town, a slightly more upscale neighborhood with studio apartments and small houses. It exuded warmth even now. The bricks were the colors of fall leaves and the street lights gave off small spots of gold. Elijah set Elena down in front of one of the apartments.<p>

"Where are we?" she asked him, her arm still lightly resting on his shoulder as she found her footing.

Elijah reached into his pocket and pulled out a key.

"Is this yours?" she asked, taking a step back so he could pass and unlock the door.

Elijah nodded, pushing the door open. "This has been in my possession for decades now. It's where I come when I need to get away myself. I have managed to keep this for myself, so I am hoping we can keep this between us?"

"Of course," she promised him, excited at the prospect of sharing a secret with him. There was something thrilling about it.

He eyed her for a second longer before gesturing for her to enter. She tentatively moved towards him, looking up at him before passing him and going in. He followed, allowing her a good look around as he closed and locked the door. It was a studio apartment. Open and warm with wooden floors and large windows. The kitchen looked modern, a bar separating it from the living space. A large couch caught her eyes as well as the soft rug that complimented it, the wall behind it entirely covered with books.

"Wow, this is... You actually live here?" Elena looked back at him, an eyebrow raised.

He let out a deep chuckle. "Why is that so hard to believe?"

Elena shrugged. "I just can't picture you sitting on the couch reading a book, or cooking dinner and just living, I guess."

Elijah came to stand beside her. "My family has a tendency to interfere with that part of my existence, but I do enjoy downtime as much as anyone else."

"Oh yeah, what do you like to do?" She tilted her head in her curiosity.

Elijah gestured towards the bookcases. "Do you really have to ask? I also write," he shared with her. "With my life experience..."

"I can only imagine," Elena agreed with him.

"It's a very solitary existence."

Elena didn't respond, not sure of what to say. She looked down at her shoes, wiggling her toes. She made a face when the discomfort sunk in. Heels had never really been her forte, but Jenna had always loved it when her girly side came out. Pampering was something the two of them had done on occasion. In a way, she was just as alone. Her family having all gone or gone away and she was still here, caught in the middle of it all.

"Elijah, may I?" She kicked one of her feet forwards to indicate what she was talking about.

He nodded, undoing the button of his jacket. "Can I offer you something to drink?"

Elena nodded. "Do you have hot chocolate?"

"Of course," Elijah said as if her question had been a ridiculous one.

It earned him a smile and a roll of her eyes.

He headed for the kitchen, busying himself whilst still stealing a glance at her every now and then. She had one leg bent backwards so she could undo the clasp of her heel. She stepped out of one shoe and then the other. She stepped onto the rug, letting her toes sink in as if it were sand at the beach. She eyed the books, tilting her head slightly to read the titles. Aware she might be prying, she turned, pulling her dress up a little before sitting down on the couch.

Elijah walked over with a tray. He put it down on the coffee table, picking up the mug of hot chocolate and handing it to her, true gentleman that he was. "Here you go."

"Thank you." She took the mug from him, fingers touching.

She smiled at the marshmallows she found floating in the dark liquid.

Elijah sat down on the couch as well. He caught her smile. "What?"

She shook her head and took a sip of her hot chocolate, savoring the feel of its instant warmth and comfort as it slid down her throat. "There are more marshmallows if you desire them." He nodded at the tray on which he had put a small glass jar filled with the colorful candy.

"Oh yeah, I definitely desire them," she replied, good naturedly mocking him, though he let it slide. Watching as she leaned over to grab even more of them to put in her drink.

"So," he began while crossing his legs, "why rely on me to get you out of there?"

She shrugged whilst taking another sip of the hot chocolate. "You were there." She looked at him sitting on the other end of the sofa, taking up minimal space, his hands now folded in his lap and his eyes focused on her. "It was that simple? Did your parents never tell you not to run away with monsters?"

She shrugged her shoulders again. "My parents also told me that monsters didn't exist... Yet I am surrounded by them all the time." She sighed and shifted in her seat, the topic of her deceased parents and the reality she was living in making her fidgety. "Monster or not, I'm guessing you didn't agree to bring me here out of the mere kindness of your heart. A favor for a favor, right?" The statement didn't come out cold. It was just the basis of their relationship. At least she knew where she stood. "You want to know what your mother actually discussed with me and why I stopped you from drinking the champagne."

Elijah nodded. He had been incredibly patient with her.

Elena turned her eyes from his as she went on, "She wants to get rid of Klaus, kill him." She paused, but he only gestured for her to go on. "To do that she needed my blood. That's why she wanted to see me." She looked down at her mug, fingers tapping nervously against it.

"Did you offer her your blood?"

Elena snorted at his question. "Of course I did, Elijah. She would've taken it otherwise. She was just being polite." Elena sighed, one hand running through her hair. "She did a spell of some kind, put my blood in the champagne. The plan was to have all of you, her children, drink it and bind you together through it. That way if she kills one of you, she kills all of you. Finn volunteered." Her fingers fell from her locks and wrapped themselves around her mug. "I couldn't let you drink the champagne." She finally looked up at him again, the look on his face still calm despite the new information. "You've been good enough to me, Elijah. I don't want you dead. Damon and Stefan don't know yet. It's your family, you deserve that head start."

He held his tongue as she told him that he had been good enough to her. "That is very generous of you." His eyes narrowed slightly. "Is there anything you require in return?"

She raised her chin as she locked eyes with him once more. "I need you to protect me, help me keep my life."

"I'd say you're in capable enough hands with the Salvatore brothers, most of the time at least." It was a careless remark, one that came from someone who could no longer relate to anyone whose life was tied to mortality.

Elena nodded, her smile fragile as she tried to mask her disappointment. He would have her feel more sure of surviving all of this, living to see her next birthday. It was an incredibly sad and morbid thought, but she needed a sure thing to rely on and Stefan and Damon, no matter how much they loved her, weren't stable enough. She needed someone rational and had put her hopes on the man across from her. His masculine lines seemed like the perfect shield to hide behind and this place the perfect hideaway. The castle behind the walls. A teardrop fell into her mug and she placed it on the coffee table, not knowing that Elijah had regretted the words as soon as they had left his mouth. He wished he could take them back, but couldn't, so offered her what he could. "You have my word, Elena," he broke the silence between them. "If it's up to me, you'll live a full and hopefully happy life. My family will not interfere with that."

Elena let out a shaky breath. "Good. Because I was worried about Kol, coming after me too."

"Kol's all bark and no bite," he surprised her with his choice of words. Elijah leaned over to reach for the empty mug. "Would you like another?" He didn't know how else to comfort her.

She shook her head and he got up and went to the kitchen. He rinsed off the mug, collecting his emotions as he did so. Seeing her so sad did something to him. Usually she was so in control of herself in front of him, but tonight she was vulnerable. He didn't know how to act or exactly how to feel about her opening up to him like this, trusting him. He didn't think he was a good enough man to deserve that. 'When he returned to the couch, she had her legs up and stretched out in front of her. It was a sight that reminded him of the feelings he had for Katherine, feelings that went beyond friendship and how couldn't they when she was in one of her dresses, seduction and manipulation at their best. Elena had no idea of her allure and how sometimes she held his attention longer than he should allow it to stray, or that he thought she looked absolutely breathtaking. It was not his place to feel such things for her. She was just a girl in a dress who needed a place to hide out due to a dance triggering something unpleasant. Besides, she was already part of a love triangle. He would not fight for her affection.

"Elijah, can I as you something?" she asked when he had dried his hands and had retaken his seat on the couch, legs crossed.

He gestured at her. "By all means."

"How is it that you turned out the way you did?"

He chuckled at her question. "I believe you are familiar with my back-story."

She shook her head. "No. Why are you so... sensible? I mean, in a way you are much more sympathetic and approachable than your siblings, but at the same time you distance yourself. It's as if you flipped the switch on tour emotions, but only halfway."

"Flipped the switch," he repeated, slightly amused. "That is a question that truly requires a long answer."

"Okay, so give me the cliff notes version."

He tilted his head to the side. "I am who I am because of my life experiences, dead and undead." He flicked both hands to the side. "Happy?"

She pressed her toes against his thigh. It was spontaneous, automatic, and so normal. She felt at ease and he sensed it. "That's proving my point," she said, more shyly now that his attention was on her thoughtless action. She pulled her feet back a little, ready to apologize.

"You're more comfortable around me than you should be."

"Is that a threat?"

He looked at her, seeing how she was ready to pull her limbs closer and distance herself, adding bricks so her wall would equal his. A hint of fear was visible in her eyes. He had never fed off of instilling fear into others. Rebekah and Kol had terrorized him for that. He felt a pang of guilt as he recollected all the times he had caused fear despite his own beliefs. He felt remorse and regret, and the weight of that kept him from being purely evil, although it was also what kept him detached.

He shook his head.

Elena had tilted her head to the side, resting it on the sofa's cushion as she watched him lost in thought. "What were you thinking about?"

"It's just been a very long time since I sat on a sofa with someone and talked."

She raised an eyebrow. "I believe I've done most of the talking and sharing." She rearranged her legs so her toes were once again brushing against his outer thigh. "Tell me something about you? Something that can help me picture you spending your time here." She waved her hands at the space around her, although she didn't lift her head.

Elijah softly chuckled. "I am a man. A man with a life, whenever my loved ones allow me to have one."

Elena nodded, her eyes understanding as she related. "Is this your home then?"

"One of the many." He uncrossed his legs, taking on a more comfortable position as he turned his body slightly towards her. "I tend not to stick around in one place for too long. It comes from me wanting to see the world... and now that I have, it's impossible for me to break that habit of living a nomad's existence."

"It must be lonely, and sad. Having seen everything there is to see."

"Living forever is overrated," Elijah agreed. "Fortunately, in these times, new things get discovered, invented, and written down at such a rapid pace that they manage to consume a lot of my time." He looked from her to the bookcases behind her. "I live a life of leisure really. A life many would envy even. But just like in any life, there is always something missing."

Elena let out a soft hum agreeing with him. The act of speaking had temporarily surpassed her as exhaustion had the upper hand. She enjoyed listening to him speak, something miniscule off about how he spoke, something that didn't entirely suit these times, but it was comforting. Her breathing had slowed and she had closed her eyes just for a minute as she listened, but she had drifted off. Elijah watched her chest heave steadily and fall into a deeper slumber. Never had he had a woman over and fall asleep on his couch. It was a new experience, something he was thankful for because it didn't happen often. He had dated women, even claimed to have fallen in love a few times, but he had never brought any of them home with him. He had welcomed Elena without thinking. Before he dared to think about it even more, he raised himself off the couch. He disappeared into his bedroom for a few moments, reappearing with a blanket. He threw it over her sleeping form and retreated into his bedroom so he could be alone with his thoughts, inappropriate even though he had removed himself from the temptation. Detaching himself would be hard, if not impossible.

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><p>Elena didn't know when she fell asleep, but she had, on Elijah's couch nonetheless. Slight embarrassment tinted her cheeks a faint red, relieved to find that she was alone in the room. She stretched out her limbs, once while she was still sprawled on the couch and again when she got up. She savored the feel of the soft rug between her toes while she tried to get comfortable again in her dress, the fabric too tight and snug. She looked around the room, spotting the open door on the other end of the living area.<p>

She snuck over to it, staying standing in the door's frame as she looked in on Elijah's private quarters. The bedroom was still roomy despite the large king-sized bed in its middle. The large windows were covered with heavy drapes, the only light the one turned on one the bedside table, providing Elijah with just enough light to read. He was on the bed, back against a pillow and his legs stretched out in front of him. His jacket and tie were missing. He looked like she needed him to look, unthreatening and human.

"Elena," Elijah said her name in a gentle manner, "You can come in, you know." He looked at her as she shook her head, remaining fixed on the room's threshold. "That's okay."

Elijah closed his book, intrigued by her refusal. "Forgive me for my choice of words, but I don't usually bite." He placed the book down beside him, the corner of his mouth lifting in amusement. "Unless provoked, of course."

She smiled and took a pointed step forwards so she was standing in his bedroom.

"Bravo, Miss Gilbert. You have just set foot in the bedroom of an Original and will live to tell about it."

She tilted her head to the side, eyes on him as he got up from the bed, instantly reaching for his jacket. "You looked like you belonged just now."

"Are you saying you don't like how I look in a suit and tie?" he feigned astonishment, pulling on his jacket and turning to face her completely.

Elena bit down on her bottom lip, thinking twice before she moved closer to him. He had draped his tie around his neck, taken back when she reached over to tie it for him. "I'm saying that you look even better in a more casual attire."

He looked down at her hands. "And I have to admit that I prefer you all dolled up and out of your comfort zone."

Elena smiled at him, accepting the compliment as she removed her hands from him. He inspected her work, but kept his hands by his sides, although he had much more experience dressing himself. Still, the gesture was a kind one. Meanwhile she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror that hung to the side of her. She took a step closer, going over her appearance. Her dress didn't look as good on her anymore after having been on her for too long, her make-up had faded, and her hair was close to becoming a tousled mess.

"Not satisfied with what you see?" He came to stand behind her, hands in his pockets for his own protection.

Elena shrugged, pulling the pin out of her hair. "Before I knew I was the doppelganger, looking in the mirror didn't feel so strained, like I'm constantly reminding myself that I am still me and not..."

"Your beauty is your own. You shouldn´t be afraid of it."

"At least I look in the mirror," she retorted, watching his eyes finally meet hers in the mirror. "You don´t," she observed, having watched him do nothing but watch her in the mirror. Never once did he brush over his own reflection, although she had. Her heart fluttered as the realization suddenly hit that he must have noticed her eyes on him. It was hard to simply look past the fact that he was pure eye-candy with his chiseled masculinity and otherworldly appeal. His dark eyes were pool into so many other lifetimes, in which he had encountered her likeness before. There was this pull she felt towards him while his urges, human and supernatural pushed him closer to her. _There was something inevitable to their relationship._

He didn't immediately answer and she turned to face him, looking at him without a layer of glass between them, diminishing the energy between them that was electric and gave off sparks whenever they allowed themselves to be close enough. Elijah's hands left his pockets instinctively, as if he wanted to catch her in her turn. But he didn't touch her, his hands stayed awkwardly stuck between them. It was the first time she had seen him like this, visibly holding back and fighting a battle that was internal. "There's no reason to look in the mirror when you don't like the man in it." He pulled his shoulder up in a light shrug, keeping his expression pleasant as he went on, " And my appearance has been the same for some time now."

"You shouldn't be so hard on yourself," she told him. "You're-"

"Good enough," he finished, using the words she had said before. There was a faint sadness attached to his words and Elena couldn't help but reach out and touch him, fists balled as they pressed lightly against his chest. "You are a good man, Elijah."

"At times."

"Nobody's perfect."

"No, but you would expect someone who has lived for as long as I have to get better at it. You, on the other hand, my lovely Elena have done pretty well for the short life you have already lived."

Elena blushed at his generous compliment, her fists no longer balled as her fingers clutched at his shirt. She felt his fingertips brush against her abdomen. The fabric was too tight to grab a hold of and she felt him hesitate. Her body trembled with anticipation, although she was ready to pull back if he would choose to, knowing that it would be the sensible thing to do. Her love life was already a knotted mess. Just as she was about to let go of him and take their relationship for what it was, he placed his hands on her hips, holding on to them as he guided her backwards just a step or two. Her back came into contact with the mirror gently.

The look in his eyes was conflicted and for a second she was afraid of what he would do, remembering that he was in fact a vampire and not just a man. He felt her waver between his hands and heard the slight change in her heartbeat. The expectancy was almost unbearable and she couldn't help but pull at his shirt, helping him make the decision that was tormenting him so for some reason. He let out a soft sigh, as if he was giving in to her when actually he had thought of such a scenario more than a few times before.

Finally, he dipped his head and caught her lips with his own. Her back arched as she sunk into him and her limbs became unsteady. Sparks shot through her body, pleasurably dulling her. He raised his thumb to her bottom lip as he deepened the kiss. She moaned and it was enough for him to lose control, his fangs slipping out without notice. Elena gasped as they cut into her lips, drawing blood. She pulled back, although he was the one who created the most distance between them by almost flying to the opposite side of the room. He watched her bring her fingers to her lips and her eyes find his.

"Elijah..."

His breathing was heavy and he almost growled at her when he told her, "You need to leave. Now."

It scared her and she rushed from the room, head spinning. As she was putting on her shoes, she heard glass breaking. If he had been human, she would have checked on him, but instead she headed for the front door, her hand already on the handle when his voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Where are you going?"

She turned to look at him, seeing his bloodied knuckles although the wounds had already begun to heal. "Home."

He nodded. "I'll take you." It wasn't a question and she couldn't say no to him. He was by her side instantly, opening the door for her.

Outside, he also held open the door to a car, a car that probably wasn't his but she kept her mouth shut as she sat down in the passenger's seat. The silence between them on the drive to her house was torture, especially for him, but he was also stubborn, the way she could be. It wasn't until he had opened the car door for her and she got out that he said what lay heavy on his heart. "I apologize for hurting you."

Elena touched her fingers to her lip, dropping them as Elijah's eyes rested on her. "I'm fine," she assured him. "I heard the mirror break," she let him know.

He nodded. "My nature gets the better of me on occasions."

"Was this occasion my fault, shouldn't we have done what we did?" she asked him, unaware of how much she sounded like the teenage girl she was. _It was endearing._

"You mean, kissed?" He smiled at her. "Your life is already complicated enough." It wasn't really an answer, but the only one he could give her. He had never been fully comfortable voicing his emotions, especially when they went against what he should be feeling.

She nodded, but before she could fully walk out of his reach, he stopped her by pressing something into her hand. It was a key. "For whenever you need an escape. I would like to continue spending time with you, Elena," he admitted. "However that may complicate things."

She placed her hand affectionately on his chest for a second as she let his words sink in. "Goodnight, Elijah. Thanks for tonight."

He bowed his head, his lips close to her ear as he said softly, "Believe me when I tell you it was my pleasure." He took a step back, adjusting his jacket and doing up the single button. Their midnight adventure had come to a conclusion, although the key she now held between her fingers held a promise. "Goodnight, Elena."

He waited until she had reached the front door before choosing to disappear.

* * *

><p><strong>Please review? <strong>I am always wondering what you, the readers think of my stories. Of course all the good is welcome, but critique and tips are also appreciated. I am always working on improving my writing. I know it's not perfect and that the characters may not always be the way they are on the show, but I am glad I wrote and posted this. So, please share your thoughts and feelings? Have a good weekend. :)


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